Combined cover and filing-cabinet for music-record rolls and the like.



W. R. DAUGHI'RY.v

DOIVIBINED COVER AND FILING CABINET FOR MUSIC RECORD ROLLS AND THE LIKE.APPLICATION FILED OCT. I5. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. f5 10 T5115- 3- Y ff M 11111/1111Mmmnmyfmmmy W. R.DAUGHTRY. COMBINED COVER AND FILING CABINET FOR MUSIC RECORD ROLLS ANDTHE LIKE.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFIE,

WILLIAM R. DAUGHTRY,

OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

COMBINED COVER AND FILING-CABINET FOR MUSIC-RECORD RQLLS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application led October 15, 1915. Serial No. 56,095.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

lie it known that I. WILLIAM R. DAUGH- 'rnr. a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Coversand FilingCabinets for Music-Record Rolls and the like, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved tiling cabinet for player pianomusic rolls, automatic organ rolls, rolled maps, blue prints, hospitalcharts and other similar rolled devices or records. At the present timeany available filing cabinet for player piano rolls. for instance, is anexpensive adjunct to the player piano,y and, in addition, isinconvenient for the player operator to gain access to the rolls thereinwithout leaving his seat, and, moreover. the labels on the rolls orinclosures for the latter cannot be read without difficulty owing to thedistance that the usual form of filing cabinet is located from theplayer piano. The main object of the present invention is to provide avery convenient and economical filing case -which is particularlyadapted to protect player piano and other analogous rolls and involvinga readily observable index, the improved filing case being within easyreaching distance of the arm of the operator or player and having labelseasily readable without requiring the operator to leave his seat or tolean or turn around. In the embodiment of the invention for use onplayer pianos and like instruments the particular object in view is todispose the filing cabinet on the top portion of the player piano orlike instrument so that all of the rolls may be readily accessible tothe operator, and also to so arrange the labels that any roll desiredmay be quickly obtained from the cabinet.

The improved cabinet essentially consists of a plurality or series offlexibly connected, joined or linked inclosures or boxes of any suitabletype and having such dimensions that the rolls may be readily insertedtherein and withdrawn therefrom, and as a textile cover known as a scarfis invariably furnished by piano dealers with each piano or player pianosold by them advantage of this particular cover or scarf is taken as afundamental feature for the construction and arrangement of the cabinet;and in one of the preferred forms of the invention the series 4to formthe of inclosures or boxes is secured in regular order to the underportion of the cover or scarf' and a part of the latter is designed toserve as a front overhang or curtain so as to conceal the inclosures orboxes as well as protect their contents. It is also proposed coverexclusively of a series of ornamental boxes flexibly connected by anysuitable means, and when so joined the series of boxes will serve everypurpose of the usual textile cover and may be ornamented and providedwith closing flaps for the ends of the boxes or inclosures, and at thesame time this form of cover involving the series of boxes or inclosuresmay be utilized as receptive means for the rolls of player music 0r forother purposes to which the invention may be applicable. Manymodifications in the manner of connecting the boxes or inclosures may beadopted and several variations will be hereinafter specified, but in allthe forms the essential features of the invention are embodied andreside in the economy attained relatively to all forms of cabinetfurniture which are expensive and heavy besides being costly to pack,haul and ship. In accordance with -my invention the cost of attaching afew reinforced pasteboard or other boxes, either to each other or to thecover or scarf, is a trifle as compared to the expense of an ordinarycabinet, and the whole outfit including the filing cabinet and playerpiano or other analogous instrument may be shipped in the same box at aminimum expense in the cost of transportation and without extra troubleof unpacking when it is desired to set up the player piano or otherinstrument and the improved cabinet for use.

The invention also consists in the details of construction andarrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a player piano showing theimproved combined cover and filing cabinet applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the i player piano similar toFig. l and also of a combined cover and filing cabinet thereon insectional elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the comblned cover and filingcabinet shown folded to reduce the same to compact form fortransportation.

Fig. 5 1s an end elevation of the improved combined cover andreceptacles showing the latter in rolled condition for transportation.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a portion of a player piano showing theimproved cover and cabinet thereon and embodying a modification, thecurtain portion of the cover being partially raised to expose thereceptacles or inclosures for the rolls.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane of the line7-7, Fig. 6, and showin one of the receptacles or inclosures an coverwith the label attached to the front of the inclosure or receptacle thecover being removed.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the textile cover removed andthe label down over the front end of the inclosure or receptacle.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the device as shown by Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7 and showing a further modificationwherein the label is attached to the textile cover instead of to the topfront portion of the inclosure or receptacle.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of a portion of a piano player with theimproved combined cover and filing cabinet thereon and showing a furthermodification consisting of the application of the labels to the outerside of the curtain portion of the cover.

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of a portion of a player piano showing theupper part in longitudinal section and also illustrating the combinedycover and filing cabinet thereon and also shown in section and involvinga still further modification consisting in utilizing the receptacles orinclosures solely as the cover without the textile cover portion inconnection therewith, the receptacles or inclosures in this instancebeing flexibly united by connectingA links, gous devices.

For the purpose of practical demonstration ofthe invention the combinedcover and filing cabinet -is shown applied in the accompanying drawingsto a player piano, but it will be understood that the invention may beused in connection with any other musical instrument or for the purposeof storing in indexed or labeled form any rolled records or devices towhich the improved device may be adapted. Therefore, it is intended bythe subsequent description to disclose only one use of the improvement,and the modifications which will be hereinafter referred to are intendedto show that the invention is not limited to any specific form cords oranalo-` or recise organization, and other changes in t ie details ofconstruction may be adopted at will and come fully within the scope ofthe invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the numeral 5designates a player piano of any preferred type on which the combinedfiling cabinet or cover and inclosures or receptacles f'orihe recordrolls of the piano are applied. The combined filing cabinet or cover andinclosures or receptacles comprises a textile fabric cover 6 of anysuitable ornamental character provided with drop ends 7 and a frontcurtain or shield portion 8, the curtain or shield portion beingregularly formed with a plurality of flaps 9 by severing the saidcurtain at intervals, as at 10. The inclosures or receptacles consist ofelongated boxes 11 closedat their rear ends 1 2 and fully open at theirfront ends 13. These boxes 11 are of such length as to receive thestandard music rolls 14 for player pianos and other instruments and havetheir top portions suitably secured to the under side of the textilefabric cover 6 at regularintervals and by means of which the said boxesare flexibly connected so that they may be folded into compact form, asshown by Fig. 4, or rolled, as shown b Fig. 5, for convenience inpacking and transporting the improved combined cover and filing cabinetwith the instrument on which it is to be used. When thus inclosed forshipment with the instrument, the de vice may also serve as an indexedpacking case for the record rolls which are being shipped with theinstrument. The front open end 13 of each box 11 is directly in rear ofone of the flaps 9, each flap covering or closing the front open end ofa box, and on the outer side of the fiaps are labels 15 on which are.written or printed or otherwise applied the names of the musicalcompositions of the rolls disposed in the corresponding boxes 11. It isproposed to apply any suitable information on the labels in additionto'the names of the musical records, and it will be seen that the recordsas held in the improved filing cabinet and also the labels will bereadily accessible and observable to the operator of the player piano,and after one record roll has been used it may be stored in its properbox or receptacle and another record roll easily obtained and mounted inposition in the player piano without requiring the operator to besubjected to the least inconvenience or to leave his seat at theinstrument. The under sides of the boxes 11 are also provided with pads16 of any suitable material, said pads bearing upon the top portion ofthe player piano to prevent the boxes from scratching the player pianotop. These pads 16 also uniformly raise the lower sides of the boxes 11sufficiently to clear the top portion of the porting aaeaae? playerpiano and especially the hinge 17 usually located -at the top portion ofthe piano, as shown by Fig. 3.

When the improved cover and filing cabinet are folded as shown by Fig.4, or rolled as shown by Fig. 5, they may be readily inserted in the boxor' casing used in transand shipping the player piano and thereby avoidthe use of an independent shipping inclosure for the improved device. Itwill also be understood that the improved device may be furnished as apart of the equipment of the player piano on which it is adapted to beused and thereby serve as a commercial inducement in the purchase of thepiano. A p' Essentially the same. structure is shown by Figs. 6 to 9,inclusive, but the cover 6 in this instance is provided with a frontcurtain or shield member 18 which is intact throughout its entire lengthor is not formed With the flaps 9 as shown by Figs. 1 and 2.

1n Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, the front top portions of the boxes 11 haveflaps 19 secured thereto to depend partially over the front open ends 13of said boxes, these flaps 19 carrying labels or label holders 20 of anypreferred form. When the record rolls 14 are Withdrawn from the boxes 11in the structure disclosed by Figsi to 9, inclusive, the boxes havetheir front open ends 13 cleared by first throwing the curtain or shieldmember 18 backwardly over the body of the textile fabric cover 6, asshown by Fig.'7, and the Withdrawal of the rolls 14 causes the labelholders v20 and ilaps 19 to be elevated to clear the said rolls. Whenthe rolls 14 are again inserted in the boxes 11 the label holders andtheir flaps may be manually raised to clear the open ends 13 of theboxes 11.

In the form of the device shown by Fig. 10, flaps 21 are secured to thetextile fabric cover 6 and carry label holders 22, but in other respectsthe organization illustrated by Fig. 10 is the same as that shown byFigs. 6 to 9, inclusive. The boxes 11, shown by Figs. 6 to 10,inclusive, are secured to the textile fabric cover 6 in the same manneras the organization shown by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

In the form of the improvement shown by Fig. 11 the boxes 11 are securedto the textile fabric cover 6 in the same manner as the structures shownby Figs 1 to 10, inclusive, and in this instance the curtain or shieldmember 18 has labels 23 secured to the outer side thereof at intervalsto correspond With the records in the boxes directly in rear of theportions of the curtain carrying the labels. ln this latter constructionit is proposed to slit the curtain 18 at intervals, as at 24, and thendraw a long strip 25 of celluloid or other transparent material throughthe slits and thereby form a series of shields behind which label cardsmay be placed and easily read through the celluloid or other transparentmaterial. The curtain as shown adaptation of the invention ma be readilyaccomplished Within the scope of the invention by connecting the boxesby flexible links or straps 27, as shown by Fig. 12, the contiguity ofthe boxes in this structure serving the combined purpose of a filingcabinet for the rolls and a cover forthe instrument. The pendent ends 28of the form of the device as shown by Fig. 12 Will also comprise boxes26 of smaller dimensions than the main group of boxes for the receptionof rolls of small diameter. These end or pendent boxes or receptaclesmay also be applied in connection with the textile cover as heretoforedisclosed, it being obvious that such additional boxes would be but acon tinuation of the boxes over the ends 7, of the cover as shown byFigs. 1 and 2 as Well as by Figs. 6 and 11.

In all the forms of the device as hereinbefore explained the sameprinciple of invention is involved, that is, a series of inclosures orreceptacles flexibly connected in series or in groups for the receptionof roll records, and the open ends of the boxes, as shown by Fig. 12,will be closed by suitable flaps if desired, or remain open, as may bebest adapted to the purpose for Which the improved device is to be used.1n all the forms of the device shown it Will be seen that all of theboxes are arranged in connected sequence, or side by side, and in eachof the forms also the boxes may be folded as indicated by Fig. 4, rolledas shown by Fig. 5, or laid Hat or in open condition as shown by Figs.1, 2, 6, 11 and 12.V It Will also be understood that the boxes may beconstructed of any material adapted for thefpurpose and the proportionsand dimensions thereof may be varied at will.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device rof the class specified, a plurality of receptacles forholding roll records for use on top of a player piano or other device,and a cover for the piano or other device having the receptacles securedthereto to prevent the receptacles from being disarranged.

2. A music roll holding cabinet comprising a plurality of receptaclesarranged side whereby a neat and pleasing appearance is presented.

3. In a music roll cabinet, a textile .cover for player pianoor otheranalogous instruments, .and a series of longitudinally alined music rollholding receptacles having their open endsadjacent to each other, thetextile cover being disposed on the receptacles and provided with acurtain portion normally depending over and shielding the open ends ofthe receptacles and carrying labels adjacent to the open ends ofthereceptacles and disclosing the character and means of ythe rolls in theseveral receptacles.

4. A music roll holding cabinet comprising a plurality of receptaclesarranged side by side, each of the receptacles having one end open, incombination with al textile sheet secured to the series of receptaclesalong the upper face of the latter, and a plurality of flaps integralwith the textile sheet and normally overlying the open ends of thereceptacles, one face ot each flap serving as a title carrying means toindicate the name of each music roll.-

5. A music roll holding cabinet comprising a plurality of receptaclesarranged side by side,.each of the receptacles having one end open, incombination with a sheet of material secured to the series ofreceptacles along the upper face of the latter and having a curtainportion normally overlying the open ends of the receptacles, the curtainportion being slit at intervals, a strip of transparent materialinserted through the slits of the curtain portion and regularly exposedexteriorly to form a series of transparent shields, and label cardsdisposed in rear of the exteriorly exposed portions of the transparentstrip and in front of the several receptacles.

6. In a music roll holding clam specified, a series! o cabinet of thelongitudinally f top O a pl alined music roll holding receptacles havingopen ends adjacent to each other and all disposed-at the front of theseries of receptacles, the rear ends of the receptacles being closed,and means for flexibly connecting the series of receptacles and pianotop is provided embodying the said receptacles with their open 'ends alllocated at the front within easy reaching distance of a player for thewithdrawal of music rolls from an insertion of said rolls in saidreceptacles.

7. I n a music r oll holding cabinet for the ayer piano or analogousdevice, a single lme of receptacles arranged side bv side, eachreceptacle having 'one end opeii and all of the open ends thereofdisposed at the front, and means 'for connecting the receptacles andpermitting the latter to have opening and closing movements at the sideportions relatively toeach other whereby the receptacles may be spirallyrolled to reduce them to compact form.

8'. In a music roll holding cabinet of the class specified, a pluralityof receptacles arranged side by side .in a horizontal plane, eachreceptacle having one end thereof open and a bottom pad secured theretoto engage the support on which the cabinet is applied,

all of the open ends of the receptacles being at the front of theplurality of receptacles, and means for movably connecting thereceptacles to permit the side portions of the latter to move towardvand from each other when folded or to conformfto the surface on whichthe cabinet as a whole is applied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set whereby a cover for a my handin presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM R. DAUGHTRY. VVitn'esses:v

C..H. ANDERSON, W. F. MGGEE.

